1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a fastener comprising a pair of fastener tapes and two rows of magnetic elements attached to the respective opposed inner longitudinal edges of the fastener tapes, the magnetic elements containing magnets, so that the magnetic elements are joined together via magnetism. The fastener can be used on an opening of the front of clothing.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Heretofore, there has been known simple magnetic buttons that are attached to an opening of the front of clothing for opening and closing the opening of the front of clothing, etc. One example of magnetic button mechanism described is disclosed Japanese Laid-open Utility Model application No. 4-64209 and reproduced here in FIG. 9 of the drawings appended hereto. In this magnetic button mechanism, a row of H-cross-sectioned button sockets 107 are attached to an inner longitudinal edge 103b of one tape 101b of a pair of fastener tapes 101a, 101b at a uniform interval and a row of projecting buttons 105 are attached to an opposed inner longitudinal edge 103a of the other tape 101a in opposed relation to the button sockets 107. Each H-cross-sectioned button socket 107 has a magnet 109 mounted on its base portion, so that the projecting buttons 105 are magnetically attracted by the button sockets 107.
Another conventional magnetic fastener used on an opening of the front of clothing is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent application No. 60-261404 and reproduced here in FIG. 10 of the drawings appended hereto. As shown in FIG. 10, this magnetic fastener comprises a pair rows of fastening elements 201a, 201b attached to the respective inner longitudinal edges of the opening of the clothing. Each fastener element 201a, 201b is in the cross-sectional shape of a short-legged T and has a magnet 205a, 205b attached to a yoke or a bar-like portion 203a, 203b of the fastener element 201a, 201b so that two rows of fastening elements 201a, 201b are pulled toward and cling to each other through magnetism perpendicularly of the plane of the clothing or in the plane of the clothing.
A still another magnetic fastener is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,595 and reproduced here in FIG. 11 of the drawings appended hereto. As shown in FIG. 11, the magnetic fastener comprises a pair of elongated strips 301a, 301b and two sets of magnets 303a, 303b incorporated in the strips 301a, 301b. These magnetic strips 301a, 301b are attached to the respective opposed edges of an opening formed in the front of clothing, so that the opposed edges of the clothing can be pulled toward and cling to each other though magnetism.
In all the magnetic fasteners described hereinabove, magnets are provided on the opposed edges of the opening of the front of the clothing, and the two rows of magnets are pulled toward each other either perpendicularly of the clothing surface or in the plane of clothing surface and cling together, so that the opening is closed magnetically. In the fastener shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, however, the opening are not fully closed, in other words, the opening are closed only at intervals or partly so that the opening which has been closed looks unsightly or ugly. Moreover, the fastener shown in FIG. 11 suffers from drawbacks that the opening edges of the strips 301a, 301b are overlapped and become thus thick and rigid.
In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic fastener comprising a pair of fastener tapes; and two rows of magnetic elements mounted on the opposed inner longitudinal edges of the fastener tapes, the two magnetic element rows being symmetrical with regard of the longitudinal axis, the magnetic fastener being fastened on the opening edges, so that the magnetic element rows can be brought into and out of magnetic contact with each other very easily, the opening edges can be securely closed, and the magnetic fastener looks sightly.